Daigotsu
Daigotsu was the second son of Hantei XXXVIII, by Hantei Hochiahime, and half brother of Hantei XXXIX. He was the Dark Lord of the Shadowlands and founder of the Spider Clan. Appearence The Dark Lord was a tall man with long white hair, braided exquisitely into a complex topknot. He wore a kimono of black and silver, padded here and there with the light battle armor of a shugenja. His handsome young face was tinged eternally with amusement. Bloodties, A Tale of Rokugan, by Rich Wulf Youth While pregnant for the second time, Empress Hochiahime's caravan was attacked by a bloodspeaker cult, who took her hostage. A ronin named Yotsu snuck into their camp and exchanged his young son with Hantei Sotorii, in order to save the heir.Guardians, by Shawn Carman The bloodspeakers raised both the ronin's son, who would become Goju Kyoden, and the empress' son, who would become Daigotsu. When Kyoden grown was the yojimbo of Daigotsu. Engineering the Return of Fu Leng In 1150 Daigotsu came to Volturnum, together with Omoni, Kokujin and his bodyguard Kyoden. They travelled to the Oblivion's Gate in the hope to find how to travel between Realms. Daigotsu wanted the return of Fu Leng to the mortal realm, Ningen-do, but the gate was completely out of magic for this purpouse. Prelude to Darkness, Part 6: The Dark Lord, by Rich Wulf They met the Oracle of Thunder, known as Tonbo Toryu when mortal, who was guarding the Gate. Daigotsu took advantage on the obligation of the Oracles to answer one question to any mortal who requested it. Toryu told Kyoden that the Tsuno mastered the travels between Realms. City of the Lost Daigotsu oversaw the start of construction of the City of the Lost in 1150. He and Kokujin mused upon their future plans, and Daigotsu even offered the mad ise zumi a place in his city. Kokujin refused however, claiming he had more pressing matters to attend to back in Rokugan.Enlightened Madness, Part Six Alliance with the Tsuno In 1157 Daigotsu summoned Tsuno Nintai to his presence in the Temple of the Ninth Kami. Nintai explained that travel between Realms was easy, but safe travel was not. Links between Ningen-do, the Mortal Realm, and Tengoku, the Celestial Heavens, were in every place where the Oracles of Light worked their magic, as the Steel Throne. To link with Jigoku any tainted place was enough. To travel to Meido, the Realm of Waiting, from any place where anybody died. Prelude to Darkness, Part 6: The Dark Lord, by Rich Wulf Creating the Onisu Daigotsu found Shokansuru, and with Tsuno Nintai and Omoni the Onisu were created from the raw stuff of Yume-do, the Realm of Dreams. Kitsu Okura's Journals Nintai claimed Daigotsu's aide to reach Kitsu Okura's journals. The tainted Lion Clan Champion had researched this kind of travel, and even he was able to plant the noble heart of a shiryo within an oni, and redeemed its dark spirit. Daigotsu agreed, but requested the attack of the Tsuno in their hated enemies, the Lion Clan, should wait until the rest of the dark forces were prepared to attack together. Anchor between Realms Nintai also told the obligation to have an anchor, an item which focused the energies on the Realm to be travelled, something that once belonged to the one Daigotsu sought. The Dark Lord intention was to find the Porcelain Mask of Fu Leng for this purpouse. Return of Fu Leng: New Way In the meeting Daigotsu realized the possibility to send Fu Leng to Tengoku, instead to posses again a human body, as a revival of the failed return of Fu Leng in 1128. The Gaijin Daigotsu recruited the undead gaijin captain Garen, releasing him and his vessel, the Revenant, from seven centuries of never-ending warfare on the Sea of Shadows. Garen gave to the Dark Lork the Porcelain Mask of Fu Leng, that was in a collapsed shrine, beneath a rice field in the Crane lands near a village that was stormed. Prelude to Darkness, Part Three: The Gaijin, by Shawn Carman Achieving the Dark Oracle of Earth Daigotsu wished to bind Yasuki Nokatsu to his service. Nokatsu was captured, imprisoned and tortured for nearly twenty years before he finally acquiesced in 1158, pledging his life and loyalty to Daigotsu, becoming the Dark Oracle of Earth. The Greatest Cost (A Perfect Cut flavour) Unspeakable Preparations (A Perfect Cut flavour) Kyoso no Oni Banished Kyoso no Oni treated Daigotsu as another outsider to its supremacy in the Shadowlands. The powers of Daigotsu were so great that Kyoso was banished to Jigoku, out of the mortal realm. Returned to the Pit (A Perfect Cut flavour) Lord of the Shadowlands Daigotsu proclamed himself as the Lord of the Shadowlands, and backed up his claim with his achievements. Clan Letter to the Shadowlands #10 (Imperial Herald v2 #1) In 1158 he began construction of the Wall of Bones with tainted Kaiu Engineers, and the Temple of the Ninth Kami was tended by dark monks gathered after Volturnum. Death of Toturi I Daigotsu sent the Onisu of Betrayal, Fushin, to kill Toturi I when he was travelling to Ryoko Owari. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition p. 30 Shahai and the Dark Daughter Dark Daughter of Fu Leng served as Daigotsu's second. Shahai was a member of Daigotsu's former order, the Bloodspeakers, who arrived at the Temple of the Ninth Kami to join him. Daigotsu offered Shahai to be the third in rank, but Shahai would only accept being his equal. The Dark Daughter was killed by Shahai and she took the vacant position. An Oni's Fury Daigotsu sent the Onisu of Desire, Yokubo to kill the strongest of the Wind. He considered that Hantei Naseru's heart was filled with betrayal, Toturi Tsudao was filled with regret and fear and Akodo Kaneka's ambitions drove him to destroy wantonly. That left Toturi Sezaru, who was attacked but survived and fled. An Oni's Fury, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman. Carpenter Wall Falls Daigotsu ordered an attack on the Kaiu Wall from both sides, and used unknown magic to transport a portion of his forces beyond the wall. Hida Kuroda, the Crab Clan Champion, faced and was killed by Kyofu, the Onisu of Fear, below the Carpenter Wall. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition p. 38 The Sixth towers was completely taken, and renamed the Tower of Fear. Meeting with Kuon Daigotsu offered a meeting to the next Crab Clan Champion, Hida Kuon, in the fallen tower of Kaiu Wall. Veteran Samurai (Dark Allies flavour) Clan Letter to the Crab #18 (Imperial Herald v2 #3) The Dark Lord offered to return Hida Kuroda's corpse if the Crab surrendered the wall. Kuon raised his tetsubo against Daigotsu in answer, and Kuni Kiyoshi was forced to help Kuon to flee.Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 40 Fall of Otosan Uchi To prove the power of the Shadowlands, Daigotsu engineered the Fall of Otosan Uchi, attacking the Imperial City from the sea. Prelude to Darkness, Part Five: The Pawn, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman Knowing that the city would be impossible to hold, he sought only to leave it in ruins and watch the Great Clans blame one another for failing to defend it.Battle in Otosan Uchi: Prologue, by Rich Wulf Once the Forbidden City was under his control started a ritual with the Steel Throne Battle for Otosan Uchi, Part 2, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman and raised the wards that only allowed the Hantei family to enter it, Daigotsu traveled to Meido, where he used the Porcelain Mask of Fu Leng to force Emma-O to release Fu Leng's spirit. Fu Leng then began an Invasion of the Celestial Heavens, while Daigotsu returned to Rokugan so that he could protect Fu Leng's temple in the City of the Lost. Arriving back in Otosan Uchi, Daigotsu battled with Toturi Tsudao losing his right hand before taking a portal back to the Shadowlands.Revelation, by Rich Wulf & Shawn Carman Once safely back in the City of the Lost, Omoni replaced the lost hand with one the Flesh Sculptor created. The loss of Goju Kyoden, who had been killed by Matsu Nimuro, enraged the Dark Lord and the Onisu were unleashed to search destruction in the homes of the Four Winds until the death. Daigotsu planned to visit the Shadow Dragon to recover Kyoden's soul so that it could be restored. Nightmares, Part I, by Rich Wulf Kuroda and Kyofu After the death of all of the Onisu in their vengenful raids, Daigotsu decided to not take them back because the ritual was long and extremely taxing, but he took another way with the empty shell of Kyofu. Daigotsu summoned the undead Hida Kuroda and put him on Omoni's hands even against the Crab's will. The half-goblin combined the undead with the Onisu in a single body, and Kyofu was again alive, but never the same as he was before. Nightmares, Part II, by Shawn Carman Visions Almost a year in advance of his death, Daigotsu had learned from the Dark Oracle of Void the circumstances of his death. Knowing the Lost would not stay united without him, Daigotsu gave a portion of his soul to the Shadow Dragon for safe keeping. Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game: Third Edition, p. 25 Death and Resurrection In 1160 the Four Winds marched upon Daigotsu, and through the sacrifice of Toturi Tsudao he was killed. Fight for Tomorrow, Part 11, by Rich Wulf A year later, in 1161, his bodyguard, Goju Kyoden, committed seppuku to sacrifice his soul to the Shadow Dragon to resurrect Daigotsu. The vengeful Fortune of Death Emma-O retained part of Daigotsu's soul, which purified Daigotsu of his Taint and left him unable to call upon Fu Leng's blessing. Other men would have leapt at this chance to escape the Shadowlands, but Daigotsu's faith in Fu Leng was not diminished. Daigotsu chose instead to hide his "weakness" to all but his closest followers and resume the leadership of The Lost. The Third Rise of Iuchiban from Iuchiban.]] Seeking help in restoring her lover's powers, Shahai opened the Tomb of Iuchiban and released Iuchiban in the year 1165. Instead of assisting Shahai, he betrayed her and captured the City of the Lost, ousting Daigotsu after a ferocious battle. In one fell swoop, Iuchiban had gained control of Daigotsu's city, Daigotsu's armies of the Lost and even Daigotsu's sword, Akkuai-uo, which through a strange twist of fate gave Iuchiban control over Omoni and his goblins. The Goju stood back and decided not to interfere in the struggle, but the Chuda family immediately swore fealty to Iuchiban. In order to defeat Iuchiban, Daigotsu traveled across the fringes of the Empire to the Burning Sands, where he entered an alliance with the Kolat. He also had one of his remaining loyal followers, Katsu, undergo the ritual that created Iuchiban and became a khadi. Daigotsu's soul was retrieved from Emma-O by a deception from Daigotsu Hoturi, giving Daigotsu his full power. To Save a Soul, by Rich Wulf Daigotsu then moved to retake the City of the Lost while Iuchiban was away, managing to regain control of much of his forces, his sword and his lover Shahai. When Isawa Sezaru, Hida Kisada, Matsu Aoiko and the combined Crab and Lion forces besieged Iuchiban's citadel in Otosan Uchi, Daigotsu played an instrumental role in the Bloodspeaker's defeat by having Katsu sever Iuchiban's ties with his followers, giving Sezaru time to destroy the Hidden Heart of Iuchiban so the Bloodspeaker could be slain. Enemy of my Enemy, Part 4, by Rich Wulf Post-Iuchiban Leadership Daigotsu made many unusual moves in the time since Iuchiban's defeat, the most major and controversial of which was sending Daigotsu Soetsu to the court of Toturi III to petition for the right to become a Great Clan. The resulting political, philosophical, religious and moral issues involved with his petition caused a flurry of debate between the Clans and led Toturi III to travel the Empire in secret seeking enlightenment. Daigotsu recently came into the possession of Rosoku's ashes, which Shadowlands agents stole during Rosoku's funeral. Spider Clan Sometime in 1168, Daigotsu and the Lost left the City of the Lost and infiltrated Rokugan. They named themselves the Spider Clan.Hidden, by Shawn CarmanObsidian, by Shawn Carman Mass Assassinations In 1170, Daigotsu launched dozens of assassinations across the Empire. The assassinations caused the deaths of many important people including Moshi Amika, Tamori Shaitung, Ikoma Korin, Tamori Nakamuro and Kaiu Umasu. The Heavens Will, Part I, by Shawn CarmanThe Heavens Will, Part II, by Shawn Carman Birth of the Heir Recently his long time lover Shahai gave birth to Daigotsu's first child, a son, named Daigotsu Kanpeki. Souls of Steel, Part II, by Brian Yoon External Links * Daigotsu (Web of Lies) * Daigotsu Exp (Lotus) * Daigotsu Exp2 (Samurai) * Daigotsu Exp3 (Celestial) Category:Leaders of the Shadowlands Category:Spider Clan Leaders Category:Bloodspeakers